Jake Pitts is my father?

Forgiveness all around

~~~~~~Jake's P.O.V~~~~~

I was awoken by Ella slapping me hard across my face.

"Get up you monster!" she roared over me.

I immediately jumped up, when I did I was shot back down and fell back on the couch. My head felt like someone was bashing me over the head with a baseball bat, over and over again. What the hell happened last night?

"Babe! What the fuck?"

"Really?! Are you kidding me right now?! You know what, why don't you go ask your daughter?" she pointed to the stair case.

Shit...what happened with Xana? I'd gotten so drunk last night.

I started up the stairs, one by one. I wasn't looking forward to this. I really hoped that I hadn't hurt her, I couldn't live with myself if I had.

I knocked lightly on her door.

"Xana...will you open up sweetie? I really want to talk to you,"

She mumbled back something that I couldn't hear.

"Honey....I need to see what I did. I can't remember anything from last night. Please, let me in," I pleaded with her.

She opened her door just enough to reveal a sad gaze stained with tears. Her upper lip was busted open and caked with blood.

"A little more, please?"

She opened the door all the way, causing me to gasp. There was a cut that was opened along her cheekbone, had I done that? No...I couldn't hurt my baby.

"I...I did that..." no no no, this was not happening.

"YES! You did all of this!! What more do you want from me?!" she tried to slam her door closed but I put my foot in the way and stopped it.

"Xana, I need to talk to you about this!"

"Just shut up, dad! I hate you! I expected to have a better life here than back with my mom....but I guess I was wrong!" this time I let her slam her door, I wouldn't make her talk if she didn't want to.

"Well? Do you remember what you did to that poor little girl now?! I get you were mad at her, I was too! But beating the shit out her is not the answer!" Ella said to me, she had been standing outside of Xana's room.

"Ella, you're completely right. I'm trying to make ammends, but she won't talk to me! She said she hates me..." I nearly burst into tears.

"Jake..." Ella said, barley above a whisper "She doesn't hate you, she's just confused and angry. Just give her some space," she gave me a kiss on my cheek before walking back downstairs.

I dragged myself into my bedroom and quietly shut my door, locking it behind me. I dug around under my bed and pulled out a photo album. It was from when Xana and Laina were little. I flipped through it and smiled contently, reliving the past was my escape from the present. The book contained pictures of both of their births, their first birthdays, so many memories that I wish I could relive 1000 times over. I was shocked when a big tear drop landed on Xana's face in one of the pictures. Huh...I did have emotions. I let the tears silently flow out of me. Eventually I closed the book and gingerly placed it back into its resting spot. I got up and went into my bathroom then splashed my face with cold water. I stared at my reflection in the clean mirror, I couldn't stand what looked back at me.

"I am a monster," I thought aloud after I let out a long sigh.

I heard a tiny knock at my door and went to see who it was. I opened it fully and realized it was Xana.

"Xana, honey," I grabbed her and pulled her into a tight hug. She resisted a bit at first, then gave in and hugged me back.

I kissed the top of her head and pulled her into my room.

"Xana, I'm so sorry I hurt you. You've got to believe that if I was in a different mindset that I would've never hurt you, at all. I love you so much" my throat began to burn and tears started to form in the corners of my eyes.

"I'm sorry too, dad. I never meant to do what I did to Aloise, I was just so angry...I took it out on her. I'm so sorry," she started to cry into my shirt. I held her tighter and ran my hand through her hair.

"Shh baby, everything's going to be ok. I promise,"

She stopped crying and just hugged me for awhile. In that time we mended our relationship, and became stronger.

"I'm not going to be like mom, ever." Xana told me.

"Who said you were? You'll never be like her," I did not want Xana comparing herself to that "woman".

"I did! I dunno dad...I just felt like her, and it was awful. I don't know how she can live with herself."

"I have no idea, Xana. But you'll never become a wretched woman like her, never." I promised her.

She rested her head against my chest and I put my arm around her. My daughter was going through a lot more than I knew about. I was clueless on how to help her.

"Well...I guess I'm going to bed." Xana said as she turned to leave my room.

"Wait! You could stay here...with me..." I offered.

A big grin broke out on her face and she chuckled.

"Ok, I'll stay with you dad." she walked over to me and gave a long hug, then climbed on my bed.

I chuckled and hopped on with her, then laid down next to her and draped my arm over her. God, it felt great to have her back in my life again.